How I Started Garlic from Cloves and Planted a Whole Bed in Oklahoma
I bought garlic from three places—the local farmers market, Walmart, and Sprouts—because I wanted to see what would happen if I broke ordinary bulbs into cloves and started them in trays. By planting day, I had a miniature forest of garlic greens, a surprisingly thick root mat, and a muddy garden bed waiting for them. […]
How I Got a Giant Pile of Free Mulch from ChipDrop in About 48 Hours
I asked the internet for free mulch, and about 48 hours later a mountain of wood chips appeared in front of our house. I knew ChipDrop could bring a full truckload, but seeing the pile in person was another thing entirely. My best, very unscientific estimate is at least 100 wheelbarrows’ worth. It has covered […]
Making Popcorn from Corn Grown in Our Backyard
We tried growing popcorn from bulk kernels in an Oklahoma backyard garden, then harvested, shelled, and popped it on the stove. It worked, mostly, and taught us what to fix next year.
Cutting Old Sage for New Growth
Learn the essential steps for cutting back sage to promote new growth in your Oklahoma garden this spring.
I Saved 4,800 Tabasco Pepper Seeds. I Do Not Need 4,800 Pepper Plants
I pulled 160 dried Tabasco peppers from last summer and somehow ended up with nearly 4,800 seeds. I do not need 4,800 pepper plants.
Mid-February in Oklahoma City isn’t time to plant them outside yet, but it is the perfect time to start a few indoors. These seeds survived last summer’s heat, wind, and storms — and now they’re ready to do it all over again.
Saving Kale Seeds in February (And Planting Them Right Back in Oklahoma Soil)
In mid-February in Oklahoma City, I cracked open dried kale pods from last season and planted the seeds straight back into the same backyard soil. No seed packet. No store run. Just last year’s plant starting the cycle again.
Don’t Fall for False Spring: What You Can Actually Plant in Oklahoma Right Now
Plant smart now, and you’ll be harvesting greens while everyone else is replanting frost-bitten tomatoes.